What's The Deal with New Dizzy Games?

[debug]

Hi Everyone,

Whats the deal with making a new Dizzy game?

As far as I understand, the Oliver Twins and Codemasters both own partial rights to the character and neither have plans to make a new game.

- Has anyone approached them to see if someone else can make a Dizzy game?

- With Spud's quest, Muffy's Quest & Clover; were these originally intended to be a Dizzy game but then they were told 'No'?

- Has anyone given plans to a game to the twins and CM to approve?

What is the experience of others who have put forward a game concept. As there are a lot Dizzy Age games which obviously took a great deal of planning.

I want to make the iphone version and I am happy to send the concept work and game document to the twins & CM, but I suspect that I will get a standard reply "The Dizzy IP is currently Co-owed and therefore you are unable to use the character, please develop your own IP and create the game... We wish you all the luck in your venture"

Just wondered what others have done before me...

Ian

[delta]

Hi Everyone,

Whats the deal with making a new Dizzy game?

As far as I understand, the Oliver Twins and Codemasters both own partial rights to the character and neither have plans to make a new game.

- Has anyone approached them to see if someone else can make a Dizzy game?

- With Spud's quest, Muffy's Quest & Clover; were these originally intended to be a Dizzy game but then they were told 'No'?

- Has anyone given plans to a game to the twins and CM to approve?

What is the experience of others who have put forward a game concept. As there are a lot Dizzy Age games which obviously took a great deal of planning.

I want to make the iphone version and I am happy to send the concept work and game document to the twins & CM, but I suspect that I will get a standard reply "The Dizzy IP is currently Co-owed and therefore you are unable to use the character, please develop your own IP and create the game... We wish you all the luck in your venture"

Just wondered what others have done before me...

Ian

basically the Oliver Tiwns and Codemasters are fine with people making fan games, as long as they don't charge for them, and include a bit of legal text in the game somewhere (I put it at the top of the loading screen).

As far as I can see, if you didn't charge for it, and put the legal disclaimer in, you should be able to make an iphone game. However not being able to charge for it may put you off doing so...

[debug]

and what if we did want to charge for it?

I would be happy to pay a % of the profits...

[delta]

and what if we did want to charge for it?

you could ask them, but I very much doubt they'd let you, as I don't think codies are interested in pursuing anything Dizzy, and of course they hold joint ownership of the brand.

[Big Dizzy D]

To be honest I agree that Codemaster may not want to do anything more when it comes to Dizzy and that is very unfortunate as he is a character with potential to live on through a franchise which I think has so much potential.
:v2_dizzy_smile:

I know that the only real location Dizzy's success laid upon was the UK but as we have all seen through official and fan based games the game still has life running through it to this day, otherwise this site wouldnt exist and you guys wouldnt be so interested in making them. :v2_dizzy_thumbsup:

I'm making a pointless argument I guess but the way I look at it is that Codemasters could do better with Dizzy than the likes of other games they have like Overlord, which I have to admit I do enjoy but I would buy a Dizzy game before this. :v2_dizzy_wink2:

[debug]

I don't want them to do anything though... I would just need their blessing as I would do the design, code, publish etc

I have a feeling that they would want to see the final game finished before approving to see if worth putting their names on...

I'd be very surprised if I was the first to try it...

[Meph]

There are so many good fan games just send them one of them than make a new one.. lol

[Rindex]

I know that the only real location Dizzy's success laid upon was the UK but as we have all seen through official and fan based games the game still has life running through it to this day, otherwise this site wouldnt exist and you guys wouldnt be so interested in making them. :v2_dizzy_thumbsup:

Not the truth. At you all love Jet Set Willy, and Dizzy have really grown fond in Russia on ZX-Spectrum. Show me so much releases and clones, how many have made at us.

[DizzyFanUK]

Yep, theres Dizzy fans on this forum from other European countries and I think do we have some from the US too?

I think someone on this forum did work on an iPhone game based on a Dizzy Down the Rapids concept with the leading character being an apple instead of Dizzy - Maybe they came across the same barriers with IP that your asking about?

btw, whats Muffy Quest?

[Adz.M]

Yep, theres Dizzy fans on this forum from other European countries and I think do we have some from the US too?

Yeah, Russia, Poland, Romania, US, Canada, I think we've had Australians on here before too.


I think someone on this forum did work on an iPhone game based on a Dizzy Down the Rapids concept with the leading character being an apple instead of Dizzy - Maybe they came across the same barriers with IP that your asking about?

Yup, the threads here - http://yolkfolk.com/bb/showthread.php?t=1246


btw, whats Muffy Quest?

Well actually It's Spud's Quest (http://yolkfolk.com/site/games.php?game_id=123) and Muffy's Great Escape (http://yolkfolk.com/site/games.php?game_id=124) which annoyingly doesn't work on Vista :(

[DizzyFanUK]

Originally Posted by DizzyFanUK
I think someone on this forum did work on an iPhone game based on a Dizzy Down the Rapids concept with the leading character being an apple instead of Dizzy - Maybe they came across the same barriers with IP that your asking about?
Yup, the threads here - http://yolkfolk.com/bb/showthread.php?t=1246

oops - its the same person - sorry Debug :laugh:

[debug]

no problem, Danny Rapids is still very much in the works but I have had some problems with developers in that I outsourced the development to someone, he got busy so outsourced it someone else and they let me down...

but I am still going for it...

But whilst its being developed I am creating a Dizzy game but it's slow going...

If Deejay is reading this... what problems did you come across when developing Clover... you sad it was inspired by Dizzy; was it originally a dizzy game?

[debug]

I was thinking the HUD would look something like this...

(please don't move me to fan games... I still need to know if anyone has any experience)

http://www.debugdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/initial_visual.png

[DizzyFanUK]

This looks great!!!
I suppose if the advice your looking for isnt forthcoming - whats the worst that could happen if you went ahead with your plans? Maybe you'll get lucky?
:v2_dizzy_wink2:

[Deejay]

'ello,

This could be a long post :)

Clover started off life as a project I wanted to do after getting made redundant. There was no involvement from Blitz until I approached their Blitz 1UP programme post-release.

Before I get myself in trouble, I should say that whilst I work with (not for) Blitz 1UP, I don't know the official line on Dizzy. As far as I understand it the IP was split between Codies and Blitz, but there may be issues with regards clarifying the terms of that split. I can't imagine Codies new management really care much for Dizzy, in fact I'd be surprised if there's anyone still at Codies who was there in the 80s.

I don't think Blitz would be happy for someone else to use the IP, especially outside of a formal agreement. Don't use the actual IP, and you'll be fine - there were certainly no legal problems with Clover being inspired by Dizzy. Use Dizzy or anything trademarked and attempt to sell it, and I'm pretty sure you'll receive a cease and desist.

One thing to consider is this - the Dizzy IP is something that the Olivers are probably quite fond of. Would they really want to see a remake, only for it to not live up to the reception of the original games?

How much further could you really take the concept without rehashing the old games? One fundamental tenet of the more popular Dizzy adventures was basing the puzzles in the common culture of fairytales and folk stories. Throughout the series a lot of source material was used up, and I'm not sure how much mileage there is in the fantasy setting without retreading old ground.

[Deejay]

As a bit of an aside... If you're making a Dizzy homage, I'd really recommend trying to shirk some of the baggage that comes with the gameplay. Lives and health really detract from the experience unless it's very, err, platformy. By which I mean a large portion of the gameplay is about running and jumping.

Main feedback I had in reviews was the limited inventory system. Really I think players just want to solve the puzzles, and find inventory management and lives a frustration. I'm thinking the future of this genre is much more Monkey Island-esque.

Good luck with the project, look forward to seeing it!

[debug]

Thanks Deejay, I was hoping you would check the forum...

Awesome game by the way (clover), I only have the demo at the moment but will definitely buy it very soon.

With regards to the IP for Dizzy: I intend to create the game concept in its entirety and 'maybe' create a 'proof of concept' which will be a small section of the game.

I will then package it up and if we can have a meeting with the twins I would be more than happy to present the concept to them, if not, I will email/post it and wait for feedback (if any) in order to bring it inline with their expectations

If I am told to bugger off I will change the main character and publish as another name.

Dizzy's future... I have given this a lot of thought and I do intend to move Dizzy away from the fantasy roots and open him up to a whole universe of possibilities (literally).

2 years ago I posted my initial thoughts (http://www.yolkfolk.com/bb/showthread.php?t=690&highlight=debug)

These have changed slightly as this was intended for xbox arcade release but since then my life has gone in a different direction.

The iphone is the ideal platform for a remake as their is a retro revival on their at the moment and it's pasts Pac Man, Space invaders phase and is now moving into it's amiga/mega drive phase... ok their are big companies making the big 3D games but even 'Chaos Rings' the new RPG from square equix still looks at home on a playstation 1.

Users need simple controls, engaging story and fun which is what is Dizzy is about.

Health and inventory - I agree, the lives are pointless and will be dropped, I will include health as their will be fall's and minor obstacles like a platform game but no real death as such. The inventory I have highlighted in the visual as a satchel; when tapped it will bring up the items you are carrying, and other options (such as score, hints for puzzles etc) and items can be combined to solve bigger puzzles. items can be dragged and dropped on things to activate.

*Possible New option: As you progress through the game your experience points will increase. These points can be used in 3 ways - Jump, Run, Health.
Jump - can open up new areas of the map which would be inaccessible without the boost. (for re-playability)
Run - Can speed up movement about the map
Health - means you can take more damage from falls and creatures

This is getting long...

[delta]

One fundamental tenet of the more popular Dizzy adventures was basing the puzzles in the common culture of fairytales and folk stories. Throughout the series a lot of source material was used up, and I'm not sure how much mileage there is in the fantasy setting without retreading old ground.

I think that pretty much any folk tales etc that weren't used in the originals have been used in the fan games!

I'm certainly finding it harder and harder to come up with original things that haven't been done before....

[GrahamHall2000]

So guys....
Found this forum and it's no one has posted for a year now... I'm looking for dizzy games for iPhone... Can anyone help, there must be some out there by now, I'd love to play again, even if it's using an emulator!

Thanks!
:v2_dizzy_thumbsup:

[debug]

The copyright issues between the Oliver Twins and Codemasters mean it is near impossible to make a new Dizzy game.

Work has re-started on 1st Dizzy clone (Dizzy down the rapids) but it has been in development for some time. See a visual and rough run through here - http://dannyrapids.com/about/

My new developer is working on it part time at the moment.

When that is done I will continue with my Dizzy game which I have in development... I figure if I build first... when complete I will send a copy over to them to approve/disapprove...

If the answer is yes, cool,
if no, I will change the main character to Porky, Prince of the Ping Pong People...
If I get no answer at all, I will release it anyway and if it's a success I'm sure I will hear from them...

better to beg forgiveness than ask permission :)

[Lex_Hedley]

Fingers crossed it will work out,
but given the precedent already who knows,
maybe it just needs something to start the ball rolling,
The way iOS games can just take off into something crazy like Angry Birds lets hope Dizzy does it too :dizzy_biggrin: